Indian cricket board yet to communicate decision on travelling to Pakistan for Champions Trophy: Naqvi

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet communicated whether its team will travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next year.

His remarks come after Indian media reported that the BCCI has refused to travel to Pakistan and has requested their matches be shifted to the UAE.

Pakistan, which won the last edition of the Champions Trophy held in England in 2017, will host the tournament from February 19 to March 9.

However, due to long-standing political tensions between the two neighbouring countries, India have not visited Pakistan since 2008 and the rivals play each other only at multi-team events.

Pakistan also hosted the Asia Cup last year but eventual winners India played all their matches in Sri Lanka under what the organisers called a “hybrid model”. At the time, India said they did not get permission from their government to tour Pakistan.

BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said last month the final decision over whether India will travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy would be taken by the country’s government.

Contingencies available if India don’t travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy, say ECB chiefs

“We have a clear stance that India must give it to us in writing if they [the Indian cricket board] have any issues. Till today, we have not spoken about any hybrid model, but we’re ready to speak on this,” Naqvi said while addressing the media in Lahore.

“Now, if Indian media is reporting this, then there must be some letter the ICC will give us, or the Indian Board might have written this somewhere. Till now, no such letter has reached me or the PCB,” he said.

“We want cricket to be devoid of politics. No sport in the world should have these kinds of politics.

“The BCCI has raised concerns about playing their Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan, requesting instead to play at a neutral venue, with Dubai emerging as the top option for India’s fixtures,” according to a source cited by the Times of India.

Another source shared with the Indian Express that this position has been the BCCI’s longstanding view, with no current plans to alter it. “We’ve formally requested the shift of our matches to Dubai,” the source stated.

Reacting to this request, Naqvi urged India not to anticipate continued goodwill from Islamabad, especially following reports that New Delhi declined the idea of playing in Lahore for the Champions Trophy.

“In recent years, Pakistan has made numerous goodwill gestures. However, it is unreasonable to expect us to extend them indefinitely,” said Naqvi, who also serves as the interior minister, addressing reporters in Lahore.